Sunday’s reports claim that Gennaro Gattuso wants to bring former Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo to Lazio this summer as the 26-year-old currently finds himself in a dispute with Udinese over his salary.
Could ex-Roma man Zaniolo join Gattuso at Lazio this summer?
Udinese have recently signed Zaniolo on a permanent basis from Galatasaray, having spent the 2025-26 season on loan with the Friulians. Udinese have reportedly paid a fee of €5m and Galatasaray will reportedly retain a 50% sell-on clause.
However, the 19-time Italy international could soon be on the move again, as reports detail that he is not best pleased about his current salary with Udinese.
Zaniolo’s agent has recently explained that his client accepted a lower salary last summer in order to push through a move to Udinese in a race against time at the end of the transfer window, but adds that this salary does not reflect the player’s true value now that the transfer has become permanent.
The agent claimed that Udinese had agreed to sit down and discuss a new set of personal terms before making Zaniolo’s transfer permanent, but this has not happened and the player has been left feeling ‘bitterly disappointed’.
La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Zaniolo earned a €3m annual salary with Galatasaray, but that he accepted a cut to €1.2m in order to join Udinese last summer.
This update has got several Serie A sides on high alert, including the likes of Como and Juventus according to reports earlier this week.
Now, according to the latest updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport, there is also an option for Zaniolo back in Rome, albeit with Gattuso and Lazio this time around.
This is not the first time that Lazio have expressed an interest in Zaniolo, but in the past, the player has not opened up to the idea of a move to the Biancocelesti given his history with club rivals Roma.
However, La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that the situation has now changed, that Gattuso is a big fan and that Zaniolo could be tempted to make the switch.
It will not be an easy deal to pull off though, as Udinese do not wish to sell Zaniolo, despite the player’s frustrations with the club and his salary. Sunday’s report claims that it would take at least €18m-€20m to convince Udinese into selling this summer.
